The Marquesas are a group of islands in French Polynesia. It is a French overseas territory in the Pacific Ocean. The islands were discovered in 1595 by the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira. Marquesas are of volcanic origin. Their coastline is steep and their interior is divided by narrow valleys and gorges. The highest point of the archipelago is the peak of Mont Oave with an altitude of 1230 m. The capital of the archipelago is Tai o Hae located on the island of Nuku Hiva. The number of inhabitants of the islands reaches about 10 thousand. Most of the islands are uninhabited. Marquesas have stable weather all year round. In 2011, the archipelago was ranked 3rd in the list of the most desirable tourist destinations. In 2024, the Marquesas and the surrounding water bodies were registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.